Hairpin



R. E. FULTON April 5, 1960 HAIRPIN Filed Oct. 8, 1956 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. Rum E 17/; 70

April 5, 1960 R. E. FULTON HAIRPIN Filed Oct. 8, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jean/E U4 United States Patent HAIRPIN Ruth E. Fulton, Los Angeles, Calif. Application October 8, 1956, Serial No. 614,713 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-50) The present invention relates to hair holding devices such as hair pins and the like. More particularly it relates to hair pins of the crossed arm type, which are inexpensive to make, simple to use and will not tear or otherwise damage the hair during the application and removal.

Attempts have been made by the prior art to provide hair pins formed with two legs of spring steel or the like in which the legs are normally crossed and closed at one end, diverging at the other end to provide an opening for receiving a strand of hair. Pins of such construction have been provided in which the legs may be uncrossed by applying pressure and rotating the closed end in one direction thereby causing the open ends of the legs to close together in substantially superimposed clamping position. However, such prior art pins have proved undesirable in that the uncrossing action of the legs when rotating into clamping position, as well as their recrossing action when the pin is removed from the hair, tends to cut or otherwise damage the hair by the frictional elfects of such action and the tendency towards cutting which results through the shearing action of one leg in frictional engagement with the other during the opening and closing of the pin. Furthermore, upon withdrawal of the pin from the strand of hair the pressure which the legs tend to exert against the mass of hair therebetween, as well as against each other, may cause the hair to bind between the legs and resist the outward pull, thereby causing tearing or other damage to the hair beside requiring extra time and care to be utilized in the withdrawal of such pins.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a hair holding pin which will not pull or tear the hair during insertion or removal.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide a hair pin which will open automatically when removed from the hair with a direct pull and without requiring any substantial twisting action.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a hair pin of a crossed arm type which will hold hair firmly and equally throughout its length and will remain closed while engaging the hair without using hooking devices or catches.

In accordance with the present invention, the above objects are achieved by forming a pin from a fiat strip or ribbon of a spring material such as steel cut to the desired size and shape. The strip from which the pin is formed is so shaped in the region where the legs will cross during clamping or unclamping that the legs will not be required to contact or abrade against each other under pressure in such region. Furthermore, relatively fiat bearing surfaces are provided in the regions where the legs tend to cross which will eliminate the tendency of sharp surfaces to damage hair positioned therebetween during closing and opening of the pin. Additionally, the present invention provides a special bevel and camlike construction at the engaging ends of the pin when in closed position which will insure eifective clamping 2,931,368 Patented Apr. 5, 1960 ice action but will facilitate opening of the pin and removal from the hair, and in which the mass of hair will bear against the cam-like surfaces and cooperate in the opening of the pin while it is being withdrawn with a direct pull.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from consideration of the forms in which it may be embodied. These forms are shown in the drawings ac companying and forming part of the present specification. They will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invenand 2 shown in closed position engaging a strand of hair.

Fig. 4 is a top view in elevation of the pin of Fig. 3 in hair engaging position.

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective illustrating operation of the pin as it is withdrawn from the hair in returning from closed position to open position.

Fig. 6 is a horizonal transverse cross-section taken along the lines 66 of Fig. 2 showing the structure of the legs in their crossed position when the pin is open.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal transverse view partly in crosssection and partly in elevation taken along lines 77 of Fig. 4 illustrating the novel structure at the end of the legs when the pin is in closed position.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal transverse view partly in crosssection and partly in elevation taken along the same plane as Fig. 7 illustrating the position of the legs as the pin is withdrawn from the hair in the manner illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a side view in elevation of another form of the pin of this invention in open position.

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the pin of Fig. 9 in closed position engaging a strand of hair.

Fig. 11 is a side view in elevation of still another form of the invention in open position.

Fig. 12 is a top view in elevation illustrating the structure of one of the open ends of the pin shown in Fig. 11.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, of the drawings, which describe one form of the invention, the hair length of narrow strip spring.

pin is formed of a single steel or the like having inherent spring characteristics, which is bent to form legs 20 and 21 and closed end 22. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pin is formed by bending the legs so that they normally tend to assume a crossed position, diverging to form a V-shaped opening therebetween, due to the inherent spring characteristics of the material. When a strand of hair is engaged between the divergent legs and the closed end 22 is twisted, the legs will tend to uncross and be forced to be into superimposed clamping position with the inside portions of the free ends opposed to each other. In the structure illustrated in Fig. l, for example, the legs will cross when counter-clockwise pressure is applied to the closed end.

In order to minimize or eliminate frictional or abrading effects upon the hair by rubbing of the side edges of legs 20 and 21 against each other during crossing and uncrossing from open to closed position, and vice versa, leg 20 is formed with an inwardly tapered or cut-out construction, as shown at 23 in Fig. 2, and leg 21 is formed with a tapered or cut-out area shown by the dotted line 24 so that in the area where the legs normally tend to engage during crossing, a desired amount of material has been removed therebetween and the legs legs to have each been narrowed to provide an area of reduced width--at that--point.-"As a result;-when-the-end--22 is twisted to open the pin, the legs will achieve crossed position, preferably with no contact between their inward i y bespaced apa'rt' to semeextenta gesfwhich in p w 7 "Strand Of hair is osit ned btwefi th diifi' geiitknds'f thedegree of pressure and any" resultantcue V areawhere the greatest degree of "press'uie upon hair is liablel" to occurfl lt' h'as' also been found"desirable' to provide the normal 'crossing' -area7ofeach leg with eh larged "surfaces which will act-to distribute any pressure which may be applied betweeh'the" legs over a larger I area, thereby facilitating crossing-and"uncrossing of 'the legs and ininimiiing'pressureupon the hair 'ther'ebetween.

Such enlarged areas are'shown' at 2'5 anus-in 3 and 6 which are, by way of example, in'the'; form of lips or bent over portions formed inthe plane'jof'the 'fiat surfaceof each leg and'htan anglefto the plane which-' thelegs' move during crossing'fand unciossings" In this way enlarged flat bearing'surfaces are 'provided V which -may'enga'ge the hair and upon which the hair'will slide when the pin is applied and rerncu/ed. also facilitates shifting the legs to clamping position, as well as their return'to normal position."

Thecrossing position of the legs is preferably beyond" the midpoint of the .pin relativelyclo'se to the closedend in' or'd'er th'ata greaterhairholdingareamay be provided. It has been-found that the-relieved construction of-the legs plus the'beveled areas at the pointofcrossing permits opening and closingof the'pin' with a miiii- 7 m'ur'n' of force despite the'reduced leverage resulting from this position of the c ressing area. The open'ends of the legs are-provided with downwardly inclined inembers near the inward opposed ends of the legs when they are in closed clampingposition. These members are designed to function likecams' in order to facilitate removal of the pin from the hai'rand to provide for automatic 'recrossing of'th'e legs to their normal open position upon direct'withdrawal of the hair without the necessity of the turning or twisting of the pin. One form of such'an end construction' is also illustrated in Figs; 1 to 8, inclusive. Enlarged 5 areas are provided at 27and 28 of legs 20 and 21, respectively.

These areas are formed at or near the ends-of the legs upon the sides which are opposed to and in contact with cam-like elements is illustrated more particularly in Figs.

3, 5, 7 and 8. As shown in Figs. 3 and '7,--legs 20 and 21 engage a mass of hair in clamping position with enlarged areas 27 and 28 opposed to each other and with thehair-engaged between opposed beveled'elements 29 and 3?) formed in the 'enlargedareas. Upon the direct removal of the pin from the'hairby pulling in-the direction'of the arrow A in Fig. 5,'the actio'n 'ofthe mass of hair engaging the beveled surfaces 29 and 30 tends to forcethelegs in the 'respectivedirections illustrated by arrows B and C which reiriforces the tendencies of the return to their norma'l*crossedposition due to the inherent-spring of the materialf Thi's is' illu'strated further: in Fig; 8. Because of this cam-like action,'-the legs of the pin will tend to return to their normal crossed position without-thenecessity 'for fu her twisting" or 2,931 see rotation of the closed end of the pin and will thus act to ensure automatic release from the closed position.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 in which the pin is formed with legs 31 and 32 having closed end 33 and beveled portions formed in the region of normal crossing, as shown at 34 and 35. The ends of the legs are formed with inclined cam-like surfaces 36 and 37 which areform'ed by the bending of the ends rather than by the beveling of an enlarged area, as in the case of Figs. 1 m8. These cam-like portions are inclined inwardly toward the-respective crossing edges of the legs andfunction in a manner similar to that described in Fig'sfl' to 8, namely in acam-like manner whereby a mass of hair positioned-between the legs legs 38 and-39 having closed ends 40 are formed with enlarged areas 41 and 42-in their normal crossing position. One or more downwardly inclinedgrooves or sets of' grooves 43 and 44 are formed in the inner opposed surfaces of each leg at the endsithereof, as shown. These grooves incline downwardly toward the'inner edges of the-"respectivelegs in order to provide a cam-like action when the closed pin is withdrawn from amass. of hair between the legs, thereby exerting outward pressure upon the legsto encourage them to return to'their normal crossed position, as described above in connection with the other modifications. 7

It will be readily apparent that a hair pin of the cross arm type has been provided. Pressure relief has been piovided in the normal crossing area, thus permitting crossing and uncrossing of thelegsfof the pin with less force. At the same time shorter pins-may be formed legs into clamping position due to the location of the crossing area nearer the closed end. It'has also been found that when used with pin c'urls,'distortion of'the curl is prevented since it is unnecessary to pushthe pin beyond the normal crossing position of the legs since this position is beyond the intermediate portion of the pin closer to the closed end. The advantages of the cam action provided at the ends in facilitating automatic release of the legs from clamping to open positionhave been clearly described above. r While 'the foregoing embodiments illustrate certain desirable forms of this invention, it is to be understood that these are 'for the purpose of illustration only, and various changes and modifications may bem'ade without departing from the spirit and scope'of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The inventor'clairns': t

-1. A hair pin comprising a pair of clamping legs having free ends and a closed endisaid clamping legs being normallyin crossing position with the free ends diverging toprovide a hair receiving opening, said'closed end'being twisted in one direction whereby said legs become'uncrossed and'snap into. superimposed generally parallel.

the direction of said free ends to permit the center lines of said legs to be disposed laterally closer to one another when said legs are in normal crossing position, the width of said legs where said legs normally cross being substantially less than the width of said legs at their closed end.

2. A hair pin comprising a pair of clamping legs having free ends and a closed end, said clamping legs being normally in crossing position with the free ends diverging to provide a hair receiving opening, said closed end being twisted in one direction whereby said legs become unerossed and snap into superimposed generally parallel hair clamping position with the free ends disposed one above the other, and cam means on said free ends engageable with the hair when the free ends are disposed one upon the other, said cam means being responsive to manual movement of the hair pin in the direction of its length to shift said legs laterally in opposite directions to return said legs to their normal crossing position, the

adjacent edge portions of said legs in the region where said legs normally cross tapering gradually from said region to a wider width in the direction of said free ends to permit the center lines of said legs to be disposed laterally closer to one another when said legs are in normal crossing position, the width of said legs where said legs normally cross being substantially less than the width of said legs at their closed end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 144,309 Levin Apr. 2, 1946 2,161,946 Beiter June 13, 1939 2,268,629 Wardell Jan. 6, 1942 2,490,856 Daras Dec. 13, 1949 2,523,548 Adler Sept. 26, 1950 2,601,435 Einhorn June 24, 1952 2,620,808 Santis Dec. 9, 1952 

